Excavator bucket



May 5, 1931. G. T. RONK 1,803,654

EXCAVATOR BUCKET Filed Aug. 8, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 fzzqqziom y 1931- G. T. RONK 1,803,654

EXCAVATOR BUCKET Filed Aug. 8, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 5, 1931 UNITED. STATES PATENT OFFICE GEORGET. RONK,.OF CEDAR. RAPHJS, IOWA, ASSIGNOR T SPEEDER MACHINERY COR- PORATION, 0F CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA, A CORPORATION OF IOWA EXGAVATOR BUCKET Application filed August 8, 1927. Serial No. 211,461.

This invention relates to improvements in excavator buckets of that type commonly known as skimmerbuckets.

The object of my invention is to provide a bucket of simple, durable and inexpensive construction, having means whereby the angle of the cutting teeth may be varied relative to the line of advance of the bucket, and means whereby the material Within the bucket will be easily and quickly dumped.

A further object is to provide in a skimmer bucket, having ascarriage adapted to travel on a boom and a bucket member formed with side and bottom members, and means for adjusting the angle of the side and bottom members relative to the carriage, improved means for closing the back end of the bucket and for adjusting said back end to fit the back-and side members when in any of its various positions of adjustment.

A further object is to provide in a skimmer bucket, having its sides and bottom member formed integral and pivoted to a supporting.

frame, improved means whereby the working angle of the bottom of the bucket may be adjusted relative to the line of advance.

A further object is to provide in an excavator bucket, of that type having a swinging bucket member for dumping purposes, improved means for hinging the bucket member to the bucket support, and also improved means for adjusting the angle of the ucket when in its closed position.

My invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved bucket.

. Figure 2 is a back end view of same.

Figure 3 is a front elevation of the bucket. Figure 4 is a detail sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a detail perspective view of one of the front corners of the bucket showing the manner in which the hinged member from their forward ends.

is secured thereto and the manner of reinforcing the front edge of the bucket.

Figure 6 is a detail sectional View taken on the line 66 of Figure 1.

Figure 7 is a detail side elevation of one of the center teeth.

Figure 8 is a side elevation of one of the end teeth.

Figure 9 is an enlarged detail view showing the manner of adjusting the angle of the bottom of the bucket relative to its line of advance.

I have used the reference numeral 10 to indicate a skimmer boom, one end of which is pivoted while the other end is free to swing in a vertical plane to move the boom from a horizontal position to an inclined position. Said boom comprises a pair of I-beams 11 spaced apart and connected by brackets 12.

My improved bucket is supported by means of a carriage 13 having rollers 14: adapted to travel on the I-beams 11 in the manner clearly illustrated in Figure 2. Side rollers 14 are supported by shafts 15 mounted in side plates 16, thus forming what I shall term the carriage.

Secured to the lower edge of the plates 13 is a bucket supporting plate 17. said plate being secured thereto by means of suitable bolts 18, which provide means whereby the bucket may be detached if so desired. Depending from the under surface of the forward end of the plate 17 is a pair of arms 19, each of which comprises a horizontal portion20 secured to the plate 17. The said member 20 has downwardly extending members 21 and 22 spacedapart a slight distance. The upper end of themember 22 is mounted upwardly and inwardly to form a brace. The front edges of the members 21 and 22 are connected by a plate 23. The lower ends of the members 19 are provided with open ings 24 for receiving pivot pins 25, said pins being secured in position by means of cotter keys 26. The under surface of the back end of the plate 17 has a pair of hinge members 27 having downwardly extending ears 28 Said'ears 28 are designed to receive pins 29 for supporting hinge members 30., Said hinge members 30 are designed to support the rear end 31 of The upper end of the member 52 has a notch the bucket. The upper end of each of the members 31 is provided with a rearwardly extending portion 32. Each of the portions 32 has a bolt 33 for connecting the rear ends of the members 32 to the rear ends of the members 27 to vary the angle of the plate 30. The member 27 is provided with set screws 34 for locking the member 32 against movement after the bolt 33 has been adjusted.

A bucket member 35 has its sides 36 and its bottom 37 formed of a single piece of sheet metal, the sides being bent upwardly to position perpendicular to the bottom member, and the rear ends of the sides being inclined upwardly and rearwardly, as clearly shown in Figure 1. The upper front corner of each of the members 36 is cut away to form inclined edges 38. The front edge of the bottom member 37 is slightly curved outwardly and reinforced by means of a transversely arranged strip of sheet metal 39 having its ends formed into upwardly extending portions 40, secured to the side members 35 by means of suitable rivets 41. The front edges of the members 36 are cut away along the top edges of the portions 41 to form notches 42. Each of the notches 42 has a hinge block 43 having rearwardly and downwardly extending members 44 placed adjacent to the inner face of the plate 36 and riveted to the said plate 36 and the upper end of the portions 40. Each of the blocks 43 is provided with an o ening 45 for receiving the pivot pin 25.

aid blocks 43 are placed between the lower ends of the members 21 and 22, thus providing means for pivoting the bucket member 35 to the said arms 19, so that the bottom 37 and sides 36 are adapted to swing from a horizontal to an inclined position, so that any material supported between the side members will be emptied to the back end of the bucket member.

The bucket member is supported in its closed position by means of a bail 46 comprising a horizontal portion 47 having a downwardly extending portion 48 at each end, and designed to fit the outer face of the side members 36. The members 48 are provided with a series of holes 49 for receiving bolts 50 by means of which the bucket member is secured to the bail. The side members 36 are provided with a series of holes 51 for receiving the bolts 50. A series of holes 51 is provided for each of the bolts 50 to provide means whereby the member 36 is adjustable relative to the bail 46, Each group of holes 51 is formed in circular rows, the center of the circle being in the center of the pivot pins 25, so that the side members may be elevated and lowered without moving the bail forwardly or rearwardly, and without adjusting its angle. Said bail is supported by means of a member 52 projecting upwardly from the center of the bail 47.

53 for receiving one end of a latch bar 54, said latch bar being slidably mounted in a bracket 55 secured to the upper surface of the plate 17. The member 52 is designed to project through an opening 56 in said plates 17. The latch bar 54 is actuated by means of a downwardly extending arm 57 slidably mounted on the rock shaft 58, which extends longitudinally of the boom 10. A spring 59 is provided for normally retaining the latch bar 54 in its closed position.

The forward edge of the plates 37 and 39 are designed to support a series of teeth 60 which have their forward ends formed wedge shaped and their back ends provided with a slot 61 for receiving the plates 37 and 39,

said teeth being secured in position by means of suitable rivets or bolts 62. Each end of the plates 37 and 39 is provided with enlarged cutting teeth 63, which are also formed with wedge shaped portions 64, the outer edge of the upper surface of each being formed into an upwardly and rearwardly 1nclined portion 65. The front edges of said portions are comparatively sharp, so that as the bucket is advanced forwardly, the corner portions of the excavation formed by the ad- Vance of the bucket will be cut clean and forced into the bucket by the inclined portion 63. The said corner teeth are provided with grooves 66 for receiving the plates 37 and 39. The said corner teeth are rigidly connected to said plates by means of suitable rivets or'bolts.

In the drawings I have illustrated the bucket as being supported by a carriage adapted to travel on a boom. It will readily be seen that other means besides the carriage may be provided for supporting the plate 17 However, the bucket is adapted to be used in connection with a carriage.

In practice the boom 10 is normally supported in a substantially horizontal position and the carriage 16 caused to travel longitudinally of said boom, which in turn will cause the bucket to move longitudinally there; with. The bucket member is latched in its closed position with the rear inclined edges of the side members 36 supported adjacent to the inclined plate 36, thereby forming a bucket in which the top and front edges are open. The said bucket is filled by being advanced forwardly or to the right, as shown in Figure 1, which will cause the teeth 60 and 63 to engage the material to be excavated and the said; material loosened, after which the material is forced endways into the bucket until it engages the plate 31, after which the free end of the boom 10 is elevated, or in this particular instance, the right hand end of the said boom, until the plate 31 has assumed a substantially vertical position, after which the latch bar 54 is withdrawn. The weight of the material within the bucket will then cause the free end'to swing downwardly from the plate 31 and the material within the bucket to slide out through its rear end. The bucket may then be moved to its closed position by a quick rearward movement of the carriage, and stopping the same. The momentum of the free end of the bucket will then swing it to a closed position, or the vbucket may be closed by lowering the free angle of the plate 31 may be adjusted bymeans of the bolts 33, which will cause the plate to swing on the pivot members 29, and by this means the beveled edges of the plates 36 may be made to fit sald plate 31.

By beveling the rear edge of the plate 36, I have provided means whereby the bottom of the bucket may be placed at an incline relative to the ground surface, and at the same time retaining the plate 31 in substantially a vertical position, so that all of the d1rt within the bucket may be easily and quickly dumped without restlng on the plate 31, as would be the case if the rear edges of the plate 36 were perpendicular to the bot tom edges when the bucket is in its inclined dumping position. 1

By providing a hinge block 42, I have provided means whereby the pins 25 and said blocks may be removed as often as desired without having to remove the complete bucket.

The member 39 provides means for reinforcing the forward edge of the bottom, which reinforcing means'may also be renewed if so desired, thus providing a bucket of very rigid construction, and yet comparatively light in weight, which 1s pos1t1ve in its operation of filling and dumping.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a device of the class described, a bucket support having spaced downwardly extending arms, a bucket member compr1s ing side and bottom portions, the front ends of said side portions being pivoted to and between said downwardly extending arms, a bail adjustably connected to saidside portions to change the inclination of said bottom portion, a latch device for connecting sald bail with said support, an end plate pivoted to said support, and means for ad usting the angle of said end plate to fit the end of said side members.

2. In combination, a bucket carriage having downwardly extending arms, a bucket member compnsmg side and bottom portions, the forward ends of said 'side portions being pivoted to said downwardl extending arms, a bail adjustably supporte to the free end of said bucket, latching means for supporting. said bail to said carriage, and a back plate secured to said carriage for the rear end of said bucket, said back plate being inclined upwardly and forwardly.

3. In a device of the class described, a bucket support, a bucket member comprising side and bot-tom portions, means for pivoting the front ends of said bucket member to said support to permit the free end of the bucket member to swing from a dumping position to a loading position or vice versa, means for latching the bucket member in its loading position, an end member supported by said support for closing the back end of said bucket when in a loading position, means for adjusting the normal loading inclination of said bucket member relative to said support, and means for adjusting the back member to fit the end of said side portions when in any of their above mentioned positions of movement.

4. An excavator bucket comprising a supporting member having downwardly extending arms, each of said arms having spaced downwardly extending members, each of said members having pivot openings, a pivot for each set of said downwardly extending members, a bucket member having its bottom and sides formed of a single piece of sheet metal, the sides being bent upwardly perpendicular tothe said bottom, a reinforcing strip beneath the forward edge of said bottom and projecting upwardly on each side of.the front ends of said side 111cmbeing formed with notches, a hinge/block ,supported in each of said notches, each of for supporting'and latching said bucket in its closed position.

5. In a device of the class described, 1

bucket support, a bucket member comprismg side and bottom portions, the'rear ends j of said side portions being inclined upwardly and forwardly, means for pivoting the front 1 ends of said bucket to said support to permit the free end ofthe bucketto swing from 'a loading to a dumping position, adjusting means connected to the side portions, of the bucket to change the inclination ofsaid bot 105 bers, the front end of said s1de members tom portion, a latch device for latching said adjusting means with said support, and an upwardly and forwardly inclined end member supported by said support for closing the end of said bucket when in a loading position.

6. In a device of the class described, a bucket support, a bucket-.member comprising sideand bottom portions, the front ends of said bucket being pivoted to the bucket support, a bail adjustably connected to said side portions to change the inclination of said bottom portion, and means for latching said bail with the bucket support.

7. In a device of the class described, a bucket support, a bucket member comprising side and bottom portions, means for pivoting the front ends of said bucket to said support to permit the free end of the bucket to swing from a loading to a dumping position, the back ends of said .side portions being beveled inwardly and upwardly, an end member supported by said support for closing the back end of said bucket when in a loading position, means for adjusting the angle of said end plate, and means for latching said bucket in its closed position.

8. In a device of the class described, a

bucket support, a bucket member comprising side and bottom portions, means for pivoting the front ends of said bucket to said support to permit the free end of the bucket to swing from a loading to a dumping position, a bail adjustably connected to said side portions to change the inclination of said bottom portion, the back ends of said side portions being beveled inwardly and up wardly, an end plate supported by said bucket support for closing the back end of said bucket when in a loading position, said end plate inclined upwardly and forwardly, means for adjusting the angle of said end plate, and means for latching said bucket in its closed position.

9.,In a device of the class described, 'a bucket support, a bucket member comprising side and bottom portions, means for pivoting the front end of said bucket to said bucket support, an adjustable end plate supported by the bucket support for closing the back end of the bucket when in its loading position, and a latching device for latching the bucket in its loading position.

10. In a-device of the class described, a bucket support, a bucket member comprising side and bottom portions, means for pivoting the front of said bucket to said bucket sup port, adjustable means connected to said side portions to change the inclination of said bottom portion, a latch device for connecting said adjustable means with said support, and an adjustable end plate supported by the bucket support for closing the back of the end of the bucket when in its loading positlon.

11. An excavator bucket comprising a supporting member having downwardly extending arms, each of said arms having spaced downwardly extending members, each of said members having pivot openings, a pivot for each set of said downwardly extending members, a bucket member having its bottom and sides formed of a single piece of sheet metal, the sides being bent upwardly perpendicular to the said bottom, a reinforcing strip beneath the forward edge of said bottom and projecting upwardly on each side of the front members of said side members, the front end of said side members being formed with notches, a hinge block supported in each of said notches, each of said hinge blocks having their side members overlapping the inner face of the side members of said bucket, said blocks being designed to be supported between the downwardly extending members of said arms and pivotally mounted on said pivot members.

Des Moines, Iowa, July 26, 1927.

GEORGE'T. RON K. 

